


In Sickness

by Lucy410



Series: Primeval [3]
Category: Primeval
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, M/M, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2014-07-20
Packaged: 2018-02-09 16:37:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1990035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucy410/pseuds/Lucy410
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a new anomaly opens the only thing that comes through is a ring which naturally enough means trouble for Connor</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Sickness

His team, for that was how he thought of them in his more mellow moments, had been gone almost two hours now. One hour, fifty eight minutes, thirty two seconds precisely, Lester consulted his watch, he’d been very clear on the amount of time they had and if they hadn’t found Helen in those two hours they were to come back, no arguments. There would be arguments Lester realised, not from Captain Becker and his soldiers, they at least knew how to follow orders, but the others could stand to learn a thing or two about the ARC chain of command.

“Open the anomaly”. Lester turned to instruct the technician behind him. Normally the civil servant wouldn’t have been here but when this particular anomaly had opened the only thing that had come through it was a gold signet ring. 

_____________________________________________  
{Flashback}

“It’s Cutter’s.” Connor had picked the object up with an almost reverential air. “Abby..”

“Helen.” The blonde girl stated bluntly. “Who else would send something like that. She’s taunting us.”

“She wants us to go through the anomaly.” Danny frowned and contemplated the sparkling surface. “I don’t want to play her games.”

“We have to go through,” Connor had, Lester noticed, slipped the ring into a pocket. “If there’s a chance we can find her, we have to.”

Lester took a moment to glance around, the Special Forces soldiers waiting behind were impassive as always, Captain Becker could have been carved out of stone for all the emotion that was in his face but the four people in front of him were a different story. He could read their faces all too clearly and he wasn’t sure he liked what was there.

“It’s a trap,” Abby said quietly, “what else can it be?”

“I’m going.” And without so much as a by your leave Connor had stepped through the anomaly and disappeared.

There was an outbreak of consternation and even Becker’s face twitched.

“Sir?”

“Go,” Lester knew he had no choice now. “You’ve got two hours,” he told Becker quietly, “then I want you back here, with or without Helen.”

Becker nodded briefly before cocking his gun and stepping into the unknown.

{End flashback}  
________________________________________

 

He knew from their faces that they hadn’t found her. They were tired and dusty and Connor looked as though he should be tucked up in bed as soon as possible.

“Back to the ARC then.” Nobody argued Lester noticed; that fact was interesting in itself.

“There was nothing there,” Danny reported as they made their way back to their cars. “Just desert as far as you could see, no life, not even any insects.”

About to climb into the silver car Abby noticed that Connor was pale and shaking. “Are you alright?”

“Never better,” Connor smiled grimly and then raised a hand to wipe off the sweat that had suddenly beaded on his forehead. “Just cold.” 

Then Connor stumbled, Abby reaching out for him but it was Becker who caught and steadied him, holding the man close to his side, almost protectively Abby thought.

“Thanks.”

“Any time.” Becker smiled at Connor, a smile with so much warmth in it that Abby found herself staring nonplussed at the two men. Her thoughts were however disrupted when Connor still firmly in Becker’s grip went limp.

“Connor!”

Abby’s cry alerted Danny, already seated in the driver’s seat and he leapt out, circling the vehicle to where Becker was lowering Connor down onto the ground.

“We have to get him back to the ARC.” Becker looked up at the older man. “I can barely feel his pulse.”

“We should take him to hospital,” Abby protested.

“No. There’s no way of knowing what he’s been exposed to. We can’t risk the infection, or whatever it is, spreading.” But as he spoke the words Becker hated himself, Connor, the most important person in the world was unconscious and yet his military mind was still working, assessing the risk.

“He could die.” Abby was frightened and angry at how coolly Danny and Becker seemed to be taking Connor’s state. 

“I’m aware of that.” Becker’s voice was controlled and steady but there was a look in his eyes that made Abby bite down on her anger. “Danny..”

“Get him in the car. We’re taking him back to the ARC.”

He was driving faster than he should have been and he knew Lester would be having words with him over the number of speeding fines the civil servant would have to make disappear but Danny was desperately worried about Connor. He glanced back over his shoulder to where Becker was sitting with Connor draped across his lap. One arm was curled over the young man’s side while the other, Danny noticed, was gently stroking Connor’s hair. He doubted that Abby, sitting on the other side of Connor’s prone body could see that, she was fighting hard to hold back the tears.

“Can’t you drive any faster?” she snapped, scrubbing a hand across her face to wipe an errant tear away.

“He’s barely breathing,” even Becker’s training wasn’t enough to hide the note of desperation in his voice and Danny rammed his foot down on the accelerator.

“It’s alright Connor,” Becker leant down and whispered in the man’s ear. “We’ll find out what’s wrong with you and fix it. Don’t give up on me.”

For a moment Connor’s pulse grew stronger and his eyelids fluttered but then he took a rasping breath and went still again. Only the faint flutter in his neck stopped Becker from howling out his feelings, that and the fact that Abby and Sarah, who was sitting in the front of the car, would never understand.  
____________________________________________

 

Connor was seriously ill, that was all he’d been told when he’d asked after the man and he’d almost screamed in their faces. He could have told them that. For the time being no one was allowed to see him and Lester had quarantined the entire ARC. In the military part of his brain Becker admitted that that at least made sense.

“So tell me again precisely what you saw on the other side of that anomaly.” Lester’s voice was calm and cool. Becker could almost think that the fact that one of his staff was fighting for his life meant nothing to the man.

“Nothing. There was desert as far as we could see and nothing else.” Danny growled through gritted teeth. “Sand and rocks that’s all.”

“Well did Connor go somewhere or do something on his own?”

Danny shook his head but then Abby piped up.

“The ring, the one that came through the anomaly. Connor picked it up, that’s got to be it.”

“Did any of you touch that ring?” Lester was feeling relieved, maybe this thing would be containable after all.

They all shook their heads and Lester breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. Well the quarantine remains in force for the time being. I’ll get someone to find the ring.”

“Can we see him?” Abby asked moments before Becker was going to ask the same thing.

“He’s unconscious.” Lester sighed. “Very well but I want you all in full hazmat gear just to be on the safe side.”

They all nodded their agreement at that although Abby looked like she wanted to argue the point.

“You get to see Connor,” Becker whispered to her, “and he won’t be commenting on your clothing.” Relief flooded him that he would at least be able to see Connor, watch him and try to will him back to health and if he died... That thought was something Becker couldn’t face but he knew that one way or another Helen was going to pay for what she had done.  
______________________________________________

 

Alone in the ARC’s state of the art gym Becker was throwing erratic angry punches at the punch bag. He kept seeing Connor’s face, pale and lifeless and it was too much. He’d never expected to fall for anyone on this assignment, particularly not a geek like Connor, but fallen he had and now Connor was dying and there was nothing he could do about it. He swung too hard and the bag almost hit him as it swung round under the assault. Sweating, Becker raised his fists once more, the young soldier wasn’t seeing the punch bag but Helen’s face and he battered it into oblivion.

“I’ll hold it for you.”

The unexpected voice made Becker spin round, confused at the sudden intrusion.

“The bag.” It was Danny. The man wasn’t dressed for a work-out and had obviously come looking for Becker. “He’s going to be okay you know.”

“No I don’t know,” Becker snarled and threw another punch. “He looks like he’s dying.” Speaking those words loosed something tight in Becker’s chest and suddenly he was crying. “He can’t die, I just...”

“Hey,” Danny stepped forward, arms folding around Becker. “He’s a tough kid.”

For a moment Becker fought against Danny’s arms but then he relaxed, allowing himself the luxury of vulnerability. “If he dies...”

“He won’t.” Danny said forcefully. “We won’t let him.” Slowly he released Becker, watching carefully as the man blinked away his tears and composed his face. “Let’s go see him.”  
___________________________________________

 

They were only allowed in one at a time and so they took turns sitting with the pale and unconscious Connor so that he was never alone. At first he just laid still in the bed, fighting for every breath. Becker had spent his two hours alternating between pacing up and down the small room and sitting by Connor’s bed, holding the man’s hand, uncaring if any of the others saw him.

“You’re mine Connor,” He leant down and put his mouth close to Connor’s ear, feeling the dark hair tickle his lips. “I know you can hear me and you’re not to give up. I won’t let you die.”

He didn’t know what the others said or did when they were sitting with Connor. He barely spoke to them, making out he was far too busy to chat. He didn’t want anyone to know how scared he really was and he thought that talking to anyone for more than two seconds would make him break down.

Next time he was with Connor, the man was stirring, unconscious still but talking. Becker sat close to the bed but could only make out a few words. Then he heard something that made him frown.

“Hil?” Connor’s voice had risen slightly, his head turned to one side.

“I’m here Connor.” Becker reached out for the man’s hand, he held it gently and added with a smile, “But I asked you never to call me that.”  
________________________________________

 

“Who’s Hilary?” Abby asked as Becker emerged from Connor’s room pulling off the hazmat suit helmet.

Becker started and shook his head. “Sorry?”

“It’s just Connor keeps asking for her. I wondered if you knew who she was.” Abby stared up at Becker intently, “I’ve spoken to the others and none of them know who Hilary is either. I guess I’ll just have to wait until Connor wakes up.”

“He’s going to be alright?”

“I just spoke to one of the doctors. They say it looks like his body has beaten whatever it was and he’ll be okay.” 

Becker closed his eyes momentarily. “Thank you,” he whispered but the next thing Abby said left Becker feeling far from relieved.

“I’ve even asked Lester about Hilary, he said he’d look into it.”

“You don’t give up do you?” Becker’s stomach was tying itself into knots.

“Might help Connor get better quicker, whoever Hilary is she obviously means a lot to him. Quite a lot according to what Sarah told me.” Abby’s face had reddened but then she smiled, “and we don’t have to wear this stuff anymore either.” She flapped a hand at Becker’s suit.

Becker, despite the situation, couldn’t keep from smiling, who would have thought that even when unconscious Connor Temple was unable to keep his mouth shut.  
_______________________________________

{Flashback}

“I don’t know you very well do I?” Connor murmured thoughtfully, looking at Becker intently, over the top of his pint glass.

“Well enough,” Becker shifted in his seat, wondering exactly what it was that Connor was after.

“I don’t even know your first name.” Connor lowered his voice. “We’ve been dating, for want of a better word, for a while now and I’ve told you all sorts of things about myself but you’ve never told me what your first name is.” Wondering how far he could push this, Connor allowed a coy smile to curl his lips. “Somehow the thought of calling out Becker during a night of passion just doesn’t seem right.”

Becker felt his pulse quicken a little. In all the time he and Connor had been seeing each other the captain had tried very hard to stay away from the subject of consummating their relationship. Apart from the first night when Connor had been so drunk he hadn’t known what he was saying the man hadn’t mentioned it since and Becker, not wishing to be seen as pressurising Connor, had followed suit.

“My first name,” Becker frowned, “that’s not the sort of information I’d entrust to just anyone.”

“I’m not anyone,” Connor pointed out. “I really like you Becker but I need to know whether you trust me or not.”

“I trust you,” Becker stated, “How could you doubt that?”

Connor reached out to take Becker’s hand and the soldier couldn’t help but do a quick sweep of the pub to see if anyone was watching.

“Because you do that.” Connor sounded hurt and Becker cursed himself inwardly. If only he knew how to explain to Connor that he wasn’t holding back for him but for Connor. The young man had been badly shaken by Nick Cutter’s death and Becker felt that he needed to protect him from everything.

“I’ll tell you my name.” He really didn’t want to but he wanted to erase that look of hurt from Connor’s face more. Becker sighed, better bite the bullet. “It’s Hilary.”

“Hilary?” A slow smile was spreading across the man’s face. “That’s just too delicious for words. Did your parents hate you? No wonder you make everyone call you by your surname.”

“It was my great-grandfather’s name,” Becker tried to muster his dignity but Connor was giggling at him.

“Do you have a second name?” Connor made an attempt to compose his features but it wasn’t working very well.

“James.” 

“Finally a name I can use!” Connor was smiling.

“Connor.”

The laughter died away and Connor fixed suddenly serious brown eyes on Becker. “Thank you for trusting me and believe me,” the humorous twinkle in the eyes was back, “you’re trusting me with quite a lot.” Becker just smiled. “Can I call you Hil or Hilly?”

“Please neither of those,” Becker requested. “I was Jim at school.”

“Jim it’ll be then.”

{End flashback}  
_______________________________________________

Becker should have known that Connor wouldn’t be able to resist calling him Hilary at times, the man was irrepressible sometimes but Becker had to acknowledge that he never had slipped up and called him anything other than Becker in front of the others, until now.  
__________________________________________________

Becker was making his way through the main room when Lester finally caught up with him.

“A word please Captain.”

“I’m just going to see Connor,” Becker protested.

“Yes well I’m sure he won’t mind waiting five minutes.”

Lester led Becker into his office and indicated that the man should close the door. Becker stood to attention in front of Lester’s desk, noting the open file that Lester seemed to be engrossed in.

“I understand from Abby that Connor has been asking for someone by the name of Hilary. You wouldn’t happen to know who that was Captain?”

Becker kept his face blank, he knew that Lester knew and Lester knew that he knew but he could see that the civil servant was getting a bizarre kind of pleasure out of the situation. Lester was sizing him up and he felt a surge of relief when the man flipped the folder closed and folded his hands on top of it.

“How long have you and Connor been in a relationship for?” The look on Lester’s face was almost sympathetic.

“A couple of months,” Becker knew there was no point in hiding it from the man and so he straightened his spine and waited for the reprimand.

“So you got together..?” Lester was definitely enjoying this.

“Just after Professor Cutter died, “ Becker once again knew he was only confirming what Lester already knew. “We..”

“I don’t want the sordid details Captain.” Lester leant forward in his chair and Becker fought to keep his face impassive.

“Sir I..”

“Don’t hurt him.”

A look of surprise must have crossed Becker’s face. “I won’t.”

“Good.” Once again Lester folded his hands in front of him. “That’s all Captain, didn’t you say you were on your way to see Connor?”  
_____________________________________________

When Becker got to Connor’s room he found the young man was sitting up in bed and a broad smile split the soldier’s face. He leant forward and kissed the man on his lips, dry after his illness.

“What are you doing?” Connor croaked. “Someone will see.”

“You outed us while you were sick to Lester.”

It was almost comical watching Connor turn bright red. “Oh god, I’m sorry,” he was babbling and Becker quietened him with another kiss.

“Do you want to know what he said?”

“Yes.. no...no. I can imagine it just fine.”

“He told me not to hurt you.”

“Oh.” Of all the things that Connor had imagined that Lester might say about his relationship with Becker that one had never entered his head.

“What about the others?” Connor asked, clinging to the faint hope that he hadn’t said too much.

“Danny’s known for a while,” Becker shrugged, “but Abby and Sarah are frantically trying to work out who Hilary is.”

Connor’s mouth gaped open. “Oh god I’m so sorry.”

Becker shrugged, “It’s alright, they don’t know it’s me yet.”

Connor refused to meet Becker’s eyes and he’d started gabbling again. “But they’ll work it out soon enough. Abby’s not daft. I’m always doing this, putting my big foot in my mouth. I’m so sorry.”

“Hey,” Becker sought the hands that Connor was waving in the air and held them. “I don’t mind. I’m just glad you’re better.” He reached out and smoothed Connor’s hair back from the pale forehead, following it with a kiss.

“Ahem!”

Becker spun around; there in the doorway to Connor’s room were Danny and Lester. A huge grin plastered across Danny face, while a scowl adorned Lester’s.

“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.” Lester commented dryly and Connor grinned at him, somehow it was a relief that Lester now knew about him and Becker.

“Let’s go out,” Connor suddenly suggested, glancing at Becker and then back to Danny and Lester. “All four of us. It could be a double date.”

Danny and Becker were both grinning at that but Lester cast an appraising look at Danny before saying. “Some of us have work to do. Besides you’re in no fit state for going out.” 

“I guess I’ll stay here then.” Connor pulled Becker down onto the bed next to him and gave Lester his best cute puppy look.

“Captain Becker can stay.” Lester almost smiled. His last words as he turned to leave were directed firmly at Becker. “Don’t wear him out.”

The end


End file.
